I had to!!

[sea dragon]

Things are looking down, pricewise.
Heard an interview with Australia's biggest banana grower, biggest by output if not his actual mass. He says back to below $10 before December, below $6 around Christmas and something below $4 before February.
Cannot wait.
Almost been tempted to get a job on an oilrig or the mines.:eek:

[witch1]

sign in a paddington fruit shop
"NO BANANAS KEPT ON PREMISES"

[MurrayD99]

Plenty bananas over here - under $2 for a Kilo. Maybe we have an alternative source of supply.

[Gra]

maybe you need to go here

[keith53]

Sorry to hear about your Aunt, John.

Forgive my ignorance but can't you mexicans grow bananas down there?

[Metal Head]

AUSTRALIA'S banana shortage has created a new crop of multi-millionaires.

The few growers left unscathed by Cyclone Larry in far north Queensland are today banking millions in a bonanza of record-high banana prices. Most of the state's new banana millionaires are centred on isolated pockets in Tully, the Kennedy valley near Cardwell, and at Lakeland, 250km north-west of Cairns. With about $1.90 from every banana going to the farmer, a small handful of large-scale operators are making as much as $200,000 a day out of the nation's most-loved fruit. Mareeba banana farmer Mark Reppel says he has not made "millions and millions" but has paid off a new packing shed and done some much-needed maintenance on his farm. Among Australia's wealthiest new banana barons is the Inderbitzen family, owners of Swiss Farms in Lakeland, who have conservatively pocketed more than $35 million since the cyclone hit in March this year. Every week they have trucked up to 10 semi-trailer loads of bananas – each carrying 1400 cartons worth an average $120 a carton – to markets in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Such is the value of the crop they have employed 24-hour security guards to protect them while being transported.

The Inderbitzen's 121ha farm, emerged untouched by both Cyclone Larry and Monica in March and April. But both Tom Inderbitzen and his brother Peter are deeply reluctant to discuss their windfall. "It is not right for me to talk about it," the mud-and-sweat-stained farmer Tom said. "Not when so many farmers suffered so much devastation with so many still struggling to get back on their feet." But Tom Inderbitzen admitted his farm was one of only several able to keep up large volumes. "You only need to do some simple arithmetic, with bananas selling for $12.99 a kilo in the supermarkets, to work out we are making good money," he said. "We are already copping enough flak, it's the tall poppy syndrome, some people see us making squillions of dollars and they want to knock us down." Mr Inderbitzen who cautioned legal action in the face of The Courier Mail investigation refused several requests for a formal interview saying it was not "an appropriate time".

Fellow growers Graeme Bush, of Bush Holdings, and Carlene Sing, from the Kennedy Valley were equally unwilling to talk about good fortune. Both lost up to 50 per cent of their crop but admit the high prices have made for a good season. "They say an ill wind blows no good," said Mrs Sing. "But there is always something positive in everything. "It has taken a long time to get over the guilty feeling that I have been able to make money when so many suffered so badly. "But that is the nature of the beast with life on the land and you have to take a bit of luck when it comes your way." Cyclone Larry destroyed 90 per cent of banana plants between Townsville and Cairns – a region that was producing about 90 per cent of Australia's bananas.

The region's banana production fell 350,000 cartons a week to less than 20,000 and the price of bananas rose 360 per cent to about $12 a kilo. Tully grower Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Australian Banana Grower's Council, lost 100 per cent of his trees in the cyclone and is only now managing to cut some fruit. "I don't begrudge any of them making the sort of money they do," Mr Leahy said. "We needed them as an industry to have fruit, it is just making up for some of the years that they have not done so good. Without them nobody would have been eating any bananas."

[renomart]

Just doing their bit to pump up our inflation rate...